Buddlea
Buddleia davidii

days to maturity:
plant spacing: 1 plant per 6 square feet
sunlight requirements: 6-14 hours
look out for: weevils and mites
harvest notes: PRUNE, can become a noxious weed
perennial

The butterfly bush, Buddleia davidii, is a beautiful, fast-growing, deciduous shrub with masses of blossoms—long, spiked, purple trusses—that blooming much of the year. Its flowers come in many colors, though butterflies seem to prefer the lavender-pink (mauve) of the species to the white and dark purple cultivars, and is widely used as an ornamental plant. Also called “summer lilacs,” the shrub is low-maintenance, only requiring dead-heading and annual pruning in later winter to encourage flowers and a compact shape. However, Buddleias prefer full sun, fertile, well-drained soil, and water in drier water in drought times.